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Halemaumau Crater is home to Madame Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire who both destroys and adds new land and life to the Hawaiian Islands!

During
the helicopter overflight on June 18, crews captured this image of the
growing Halemaumau Crater viewed to the southeast. With HAVO and Thomas
A. Jaggar Museum sitting on the caldera rim (right side, middle where
the road bends to the left), it is easier to comprehend the scale of
subsidence at the summit. Photo Credit: USGS

It’s hard to wrap your
mind around how something that can be as destructive and disruptive as a
molten lava flow actually paves the way for new life. Volcanologists
are still discovering new aspects of this dramatic phenomenon. Yet,
Hawaiians have long believed that this activity is at the hands of
Madame Pele, Hawaii’s goddess of fire and volcanoes.

"Madame Pele" Hawaii goddess of fire and volcanoes and the creator of the Hawaiian Islands

Visitors admiring a restored Herb Kane mural at the old Jaggar Museum, which has since closed. Photo Credit: U.S. National Park Service

The Island of Hawaii
is home to five volcanoes -- Maunakea, Kohala, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and
Kilauea. Hawaiian mythology contends that Pele dwells at the latter’s
lava lake of Halemaumau Crater. All volcanic eruptions are attributed to
Pele’s yearning for her true love. Her intense passion, wicked temper,
and ferocious power continue to play out in dramatic form.

Viewing The Eruption

While many park sites are closed, others are more spectacular than ever

As
Kilauea continues to shake the ground and blast ash from its
ever-changing summit crater, parts of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
remain closed, including the popular Thomas A. Jaggar Museum which is
located near the rim of the Halemaumau Crater and overlooks Kilauea
Caldera.

Kilauea
hasn’t put on a show like this since 1983. This might be a
once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Check out the Instagram feeds for Paradise Helicopters, Epic Lava and Lava Ocean Tours for some spectacular videos and images of the most recent activity.

Kilauea
doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, but Pele is unpredictable. The
eruption is an ongoing phenomenon that’s lasted 30 years. It’s one of
the most active volcanoes in the world. However, the lava flows can come
to a stop just as quickly as they started.

You can thank Madame Pele for having a hand in creating our Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffees!

The
porous, mineral-rich volcanic soil, perfect latitude, altitude and
perfect climate/weather conditions on the Big Island of Hawaii all
combine to create the perfect environment to grow everything from
macadamia nuts to vanilla and chocolate. But it’s especially ideal for
growing the world’s best coffee.

Recovery efforts for those affected

At
the same time new land is created, houses, neighborhoods, and even
scenic bays have been lost to the current flow of lava. This
unpredictability of Madame Pele is something that many residents of the
area surrounding Kilauea know they have no control over. While this is
the nature of living near an active volcano, it’s also in our nature as a
community to kokua (help) those in need.

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About Us

Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Co. is a 2nd-generation, family-owned coffee roaster located in the heart of the Hawaiian Islands. We aim to share the unique taste of Hawaii with the world through the flavor of our custom coffees.